Toothbrush



April 5, 1932.

K. RUETZ 1,852,480

Toormanusn Filed Feb. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 19.1. I29. 2 Fly. 3.

v u 1/1/11. ///////z// 11/1/11111/1/1 111/1 April 5, 1932. K RUETZ1,852,489

TOOTHBHUSH Filed Feb. 27. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 5, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KARL RTJ'E'IZ, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND,ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF ].O J OSEF RUETZ, 0F BIEL, SWITZERLAND TOOTHBRUSHApplication filed February 27, 1931, Serial No. 518,815, and inSwitzerland May 12, 1930.

it is known that the toothbrushes hitherto known are still imperfectsince their formation does not permit of thoroughly cleansing the gapsbetween the teeth. Dental hygiene, 5, however, requires these gaps,where particles of food are usually trapped, and where theretore decayfirst starts, to be in particular thoroughly cleaned.

The toothbrush according to the present invention fulfills this purposeby providing a short toothpick for cleaning the gaps between the teeth,which is displaceably mounted transversely to the brush head, and between the bristles, in such a way that it is able to penetrate into thegaps between the teeth, and, in conjunction with the bristles, releasethe food particles trapped in the gaps betw en the teeth so that theycan be removed. The action is thus a double one, since with thetoothpick the trapped food particles are loosened whilst the bristlespenetrating subsequently the gaps between the teeth complete thecleaning operation.

The drawings show by way of example three constructional forms of acombined toothbrush and toothpick made according to the invention, Fig.1 being a sectional ele ration of one form, and Figs. 2 and 3 a backelevation and elevation partly in section re spectivcly oil: amodification, Figs. 1- and 5 represent a third example in side elevationpartly in section with the toothpick in two dillercnt positions, Fig.('3 is a detail View of this example, and, Fig. 7 is a front elevationof the arrangement shown in Fig. 4.

In the example according to Fig. l a twoarmrd lever 2 is mounted on thehead of the brush 1 opposite the bristles by means of a pin a on whichit is pivotally mounted. The

long forward arm oi. the lever 2 carries a short toothpick 3. made forexample of celluloid, whilst the short rear arn'i carries a pin 5prorided with a pressure knob 6. The pin 5 penetrates and projectsbeyond the brush handle 1. Between the latter and the knob (3 there isarranged a coil spring 7. In order to clean the gaps between the teethpressure is applied to the knob (l with the result that the toothpick ispressed. into the gaps between the teeth. On releasing the knob 6 thetoothpick 3, is withdrawn, by means of the spring 7, so far into thebristles that during the usual brushing of the teeth injury to the gumsby the toothpick is avoided.

A stop 5 limits the movement of the pin 5 under the pressure of thespring 7.

The manipulation of this toothbrush for cleansing the gaps between theteeth is eX- tremely simple and comfortable and the cleansing is verythorough.

In the example according to Figs. 2 and 3 one end of a gut string 8 isfixed in the brush handle 1. The string 8 carries a pressure knob 9 andthe other end, penetrating the brush head, carries the cylindrical foot3 of the pick 3 A recess 10 is provided in the brush head for receivingthe foot of the pick together with a small helical spring 11 ivhiccihtends to press the foot out of the brush In ordinary brushing of theteeth the foot of the pick 3 projects out from the brush head so that itcan bend with the bristles without acting. If, however, the pressureknob 9 is pressed towards one side with the thumb. of the hand holdingthe toothbrush the foot of the pick is drawn into the recess 10 and madeimmovable so that it can penetrate into a gap and loosen food particleswhich are then swept away by the bristles. On releasing the pressure onthe knob 9 the foot of the pick is again pressedby the spring 11 out ofthe brush head so that the pick 3 can again bend with the bristles.

The example according to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 permits still a more deep andsure penetrating of the pick in the gaps between the teeth and a greaterfree mobility of the pick when cleaning the teeth by the bristles, inorder to avoid hurting ott'the gums. This example also has theadvantage, that the handle and the head of the toothbrush are perfectlysmooth as a usual tooth-brush and have no projections. By means of thispreferred example, due to the increased protruding of the pick out ofthe bristles and to the more sure location of the pick in workingposition, not only food particles may be removed from the inner andouter gaps, but also crusts of tartar of the teeth which mostly depositin these gaps, may be removed and so the teeth maintained hale muchlonger. On the other hand the pick retired into the bristles works as abristle.

Two angular pins 20 are screwed oppositely one to the other into thehead of the handle 1 and overlap the lateral arms of a frame-like cradle21 and serve as a pivot therefor. The back endof this cradle serves as athumb-latch to move the cradle against the action of a spring 7 embeddedin a hole of the handle 1. The front end of the cradle forms a bridgehaving a bore 22 adapted to receive the cylindrical hollow base 3 of theick 3*. The entering of the base 3 into the ore 22 of the cradle islimited by a small shoulder 3 at the top of the base 3 The pick 3 isarranged laterally to the axis of the base 8 which has a bore to receivea gutstring 8 fixed to the handle head and having a knot 8 resting onthe outer face of the shoulder 3 The bore of the foot 3 further receivesa compression spring 11 one end of which is secured to the bottom of thebore of the foot 3 and the other end of which is guided in abore of thecradle 21. The pick is preferably made of buifalo horn.

The function of this example is as follows:

If it is desired to remove food particles from the inner or outer gapsbetween the teeth or to remove tartar of the teeth deposited in the saidgaps, the thumb latch of the cradle 21 is pressed down by the thumb ofthe hand carrying the tooth-brush so that the cradle is tilted and thepick 3 lifted out of the bristles (see Fig. 4). This motion is limitedby the knot 8 of the gut'string 8 which pulls the base 3 of the pickinto th'e bore 22 of the cradle 21. The pick is now positioned in itsworking position and the gaps now may be thoroughly free of foodparticles and tartar of the teeth. If it is now desired to brush theteeth, the cradle 21 is released and the spring 7 tilts it back in itsinitial position in which the pick 3* is embedded in the bristles(see-Fig. 2). hen the pick '3 is being retracted, the spring 11projecting over the base 3 of the pick abuts the handle head, iscompressed and pushes the base 13 out of the bore 22, so that the pickis fully free and follows the flexions of the bristles as being abristle. The spring 11 is tensioned when the pick is bent laterally andbrings it back in its upright position, so that the pick acts as ayielding bristle. Any hurting of the gums thereby is avoided. v It isevident that the hand carrying the tooth-brush has not to change itsposition to bring the pick in and outof. operative position, pressure ofthe thumb upon the thumb-latch and releasing this latch is sufficie nt.

The means for displacing the pick can also be otherwise than thoseillustrated.

What I claim is 1. In a tooth brush, a brush head, bristles thereon, apick transversely movable to the brush head and parallel to the bristlesbetween them, and means to move the pick from and towards the brushhead.

2. In a tooth brush, a brush head, bristles thereon, a pick transverselymovable tothe brush head and parallel to thebristlesbetween them'andhaving a hollow shouldered base, a framelike cradle pivotally mounted onthe inner face of the brush head and having a bore in one of its ends, acompression spring interposed between the other end of the cradle andthe brush head, a flexible inextensible end knotted member fixed on theone hand to the brush head and passing on the other hand through thesaid base of the pick, to pull the said base into the cradle-bore whenthe pick is moved in operative position, and a spring fixed in the saidbase and adapted to abut against the brush head when the pick is movedinwardly to free the said base from the cradle bore.

3. In a tooth brush, a brush head, bristles thereon, a pick transverselymovable to the brush head and parallel to the bristles between them andhaving a hollow shouldered base, a framelike .cradle pivotally mountedon the inner face of the brush head and having a bore in one of itsends, a compression spring interposed between the other end of thecradle and the brush head, a flexible inextensible end knotted memberfixed on theone hand to the brush head and passing on the other handthrough the said base of the pick, to pull the said base into thecradle-bore when the pick is moved in operative position, and a springhaving one end fixed in the said base and the other bent over and guidedin a small bore of the cradle to prevent distortion of the pick, thisend being adapted to abut against the brush head when the pick is movedinwardly, to free the said base from the said cradle-bore.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. KARL RUETZ.

